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True a wheel
To true a wheel, professionals use a wheel-jig. It is a expensive tool, so it is up to you to use it. There is resources to do it without using one. Here you can see how. The tools you will need are the next ones:
Wheel-jig (optional) Spoke key
To make it easier, turn upside down your bike. If you have a bell ot a cyclocomputer, remember to remove it before, to avoid scratching it!
Make the wheel turn fast. If the rim moves from side to side when passes through the brake pads of the frame then it is not flat or straight. We fix it changing the spoke tension. Let's see first how spokes works.
Spokes goes from the rim to the hub, and their function is to keep the rim flat and round. If you look at your wheel you will see that spokes go from the rim into both sides of the hub. If you add tension to the spokes on the left side of the hub, the rim will move to the left side. If you add tension to the spokes on the right side of the hub, the rim will move to the right side.
If you don't have a wheel-jig, you can use the brake pads as a reference. If you use disc brakes, put a pencil with a elastic band in the frame or in the fork. At the end, we just need something fix to use as a reference to detect the points where the distance in between the rim and a fix point change. In those points the rim is not straight. We will try to find those points and change the tension in the spokes only in this area, to move the rim to the right or to the left. Let's see some examples:
The rim is in the middle of the fixed points. It is good!
The rim is touching the left reference point. Add tension to the spokes that goes to the opposite side in the hub to move the rim to the right. Release tension on the spokes that goes to the left side of the hub
The rim is touching the right reference point. Add tension to the spokes that goes to the opposite side in the hub to move the rim to the left. Release tension on the spokes that goes to the right side of the hub
Truing a wheel is a complex operation. Make small adjustments, not more than half turn of your spoke key, and if you are not sure go back on your steps. When you add tension to spokes on one side, release tension to spokes on the other side, you have to find a balance. At the end, all spokes on the wheel should have a similar tension. You can check the tension moving them with your fingers.
If your wheel is not straight because you had an accident, sometimes it is impossible to repair it changing the tension of the spokes and it will need to be replaced.
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